Heel-seat-trimming machine



Patented Nov. I. 1898.

G. U. BARB'OUR.

HEEL SEAT TBIMMING MACHINE.

(Application filed Dec. 81, 1897.;

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

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Nu. 6l3,228.

Patented Nov. I, I898. G. 0. BARBOUB.

HEEL SEAT TBIMMING MACHINE.

[Application filed Dec. 31, 1897.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

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. UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

GEORGE O. BARBOUR, OF ROGKLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE EPPLER WELT MACHINE COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

HEEL-SEAT-TRIMMING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 613,228, dated November 1, 1898.

Application filed December 31, 1897. Serial No. 665,072. (No model-l To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE O. BARBOUR, of Rockland, in the county of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Heel-Seat- Trimming Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide a simple and effective machine for accurately trimming the heel-seat or the heel end of the outer sole of a boot or shoe before the attachment of the heel thereto and in accurate conformity to the shape of the counter of the boot or shoe.

The invention consists in the improvements which I will now proceed to describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a front elevation of a machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 represents a section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1 and a plan view of the parts below said line. Fig. 3 represents a perspective view of parts of the operating mechanism. ,Fig. 4 represents a section on line 4 4; of Fig. 3, showing the trimming-knife raised. Fig. 5 represents a view similar to Fig. 4:, showing the knife depressed. Fig. 6 represents a section on line 6 6 of Fig. 4. Fig. 7 represents a section on line 7 7 of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 represents a sectional View of the flexible knife.

The same letters and numerals of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

In the drawings, a represents a standard supporting a cutting bed or block b.

0 represents a knife holder or carrier which supports a flexible knife 0. The holder and knife are of the general shape of the counter of a boot or shoe, and the holder is constructed to open and close, so that the heel-shaped recess formed within it may receive counters of various sizes. The knife-holder is here shown as composed of a central piece 2 and two arms or side pieces 3 3, pivoted at 4 4 to the central piece 2 and adapted to swing toward and from each other. The knife 0 is a single flexible blade having its end portions inserted in recesses 5 5, formed in the arms 3 3 of the knifeholder, said end portions being clamped by clamping-screws 6 6 against the inner walls of said recesses. The knife is prevented from being displaced backwardly by means of a stop-screw 7, inserted in the central portion of the knife-holder and bearing against the rear surface of the blade at its central portion. Means are provided for raising and depressing the knife-holder and knife and for swinging the side portions of the knife-holder inwardly and pressing their inner sides yieldingly against the side portions of the counter of the boot or shoe to cause the flexible knife to assume the outline of the counter. I have here shown the knife-holder connected by vertical arms (Z d d with a cross-head e, which slides vertically on vertical guide-rods f f, affixed to the base-plate a, which is secured to the top of the standard a. The arm d is rigidly attached to the'cross-head and to the central piece 2 of the knife-holder. The arms (1 d are pivoted at d d to the cross-head e and at d d to the side portions of the knifeholder, the arrangement being such that the arms (1 d can swing toward and from each other, and thus permit the opening and closing movements of the knife-holder. I have here shown the arms d d d connected to ears formed on a plate d, which is adjustably secured to the cross-head e by means of a shank 0Z affixed to said plate and entering a Vertical socket in the cross-head, said shank being secured to the cross-head by set-screws. This construction enables the knife-holder to be adjusted vertically.

The cross -head e is normally held in the raised position shown in Fig. 1 by means of springs g g, supported by collars g g, affixed to the guide-rods f, the cross-head bearing on the upper ends of said springs.

It represents a treadle which is pivoted at h to the standard a and is connected by a rod 11 with an arm j, affixed to a rock-shaft], which is journaled in bearings on the baseplate a. The rock-shaft j is provided at or near its ends with shorter arms j j Fig. 3*, to which are pivoted at k connecting-rods k, which are engaged with the cross-head e. I have here shown the connecting-rods it provided with hooks k at their upper ends, which are engaged with the hooked arms 20 the upper portions of which are bolted to the crosshead 6. \Vhen the treadle his depressed, the rock-shaft j is turned in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2 and imparts a downward movement, through the connecting-rods k, to the cross-head e and the knifeholder and knife, thus causing the knife to trim the heelseat of a shoe resting on the cutting bed or block 1). During the downward movement of the knife-holder and knife the side portions of the knife -holder are swunginwardlyby the means next described.

an m represent short rock-shafts journaled in bearings in the base-plate a. Said rockshafts are provided with shorter inwardly-projectingarmsmm,which are connectedbyrods m m with the cross-head c, and with longer upwardly-projecting arms m m which bear upon the outer ends of springs or m interposed between the arms m and the swinging arms (1' d, which support the knife -holder. Said springs are preferably mounted upon rods m m which are pivoted at m m to the arms d d, the outer portions of said rods passing loosely through orifices in the leverarms m m It will be seen that when the cross-head is depressed downward motion is communicated through the rods m m to the short rockshafts m m, thus swinging the longer arms m m inwardly and causing them to exert pressure through the springs m m on the levers d cl and forcing the latter yieldingly inward, thus pressing the side portion of the knife-holder yieldingly against the counter of a boot or shoe placed on the cutting-bed. The described mechanism is timed so that the inward movement of the side portions of the knife-holder commences simultaneously with the downward movement. Two results therefore take place-namely, first, the knife is curved to conform accurately to the shape of the counter of the boot or shoe against which the side portions of the knife holder press and the cutting edge of the knife moves downward obliquely, thus imparting a slight bevel to the trimmed edge of the heelseat. Vhen the treadle is released, the springs g 9 act to restore all the movable parts to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

0 0 represent thin flexible guard-plates, preferably of sheet metal, which are aflixed to arms or standards 0 0 on the base a and cover those portions of the side pieces of the knife-holder which would otherwise come in contact with the counter of the boot or shoe. Said guard-plates having no vertical movement therefore prevent theknife-holder from scraping or rubbing on the counter and marring the same during the downward move ment of the knife-holder. I

I do not limit myself to the details of construction here shown and described and may variously modify the same without departing from the spirit of my invention. I am the first, so far as I am aware, to combine a flexible heel-seat-trimming knife and means for automatically exerting a yielding pressure on the end portions of the knife, and thereby automatically conforming said knife to the shape of the counter of a boot or shoe.

The knife 0 may be made of two layers 9 10, as shown in Fig.8, the layer 9 being made of hardened tool-steel and having the cutting edge, while the layer 10 is made of soft steel, the two layers being welded together. The soft-steel layer, while being flexible, has but little temper, and therefore is not so liable to break as the layer E), which is highly tempered. The layer 10 therefore reinforces and supports the layer 9 and prevents the latter from breaking when its curvature is changed. The knife thus made can be conformed to the curvatures of a variety of sizes of heelcounters without liability of breakage. The layer 10 terminates above the cutting edge of the layer 9, as shown in Fig. 8.

Having thus explained the nature of my in= vention and described a way of constructing and using the same, although without having attempted to set forth all the forms in which it may be embodied or all the modes of its use, I declare that what I claim is- 1. A machine of the character specified, comprising a cutting-bed, a flexible knife movable toward and from the bed, and knifeoperating mechanism having provisions for exerting yielding inward pressure on the end portions of the knife during its movement toward the bed, whereby said knife is conformed to the shape of a boot or shoe counter.

2. A machine of the character specified, comprising a cutting-bed, a flexible knife, an adjustable holder for said knife, means for moving said holder toward and from the bed, and means for exerting yielding inward pressure on the end portions of the holder during its movement toward the bed.

3. A machine of the character specified, comprising a cutting-bed, a cross-head or carrier movable toward and from the bed, a heel-shaped knife-holder rigidly connected at its central portion with the carrier, and hav ing adjustable side portions, a flexible heel shaped knife engaged with the central and side portions of the holder, means for reciprocating the carrier, and means operated by the downward movement of-the carrier, for yieldingly pressing the side portions of the knife-holder inwardly.

4. A machine of the character specified, comprising a cutting-bed,an adjustable knifeholder movable toward and from the bed and provided with a flexible heel-shaped knife, means for moving the knife-holder toward and from the bed, means for pressing the sides of the knife-holder inwardly, and guards covering the inner surfaces of the sides of the knife-holder, said guards having no movement toward and from the bed.

5. A machine of the character specified, comprising a cutting-bed, a cross-head or carrier movable toward and from the bed, a fixed arm and two swinging arms supported too IIO

by the cross-head, a knife-holder composed of a central portion attached to the fixed arm, and swinging side portions connected with the swinging arms, aiflexible knife engaged with the holder, means for reciprocating the cross-head, and means operated by the descent of the cross-head for exerting a yieldin g inward pressure on the swinging portions of the holder.

In testimony whereof I have signed my 10 name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 17th day of December, A. D. 1897.

- GEORGE O. BARBOUR.

Witnesses:

C. F. BROWN, E. BATCHELDER. 

